Orthopedic medicine is increasingly becoming aware of the vast potential and advantages of using bone/tendon/bone grafts to repair common joint injuries, such as Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) or Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) tears. One technique that is currently used for repairing these types of injuries involves surgically reconnecting the torn portions of a damaged ligament. However, this technique is often not possible, especially when the damage to the ligament is extensive. To address situations where the damage to the joint ligaments is severe, another technique commonly performed involves redirecting tendons to provide increased support to a damaged knee. These conventional techniques are not without their shortcomings; in most cases, the repaired joint lacks flexibility and stability.
The recent utilization of bone/tendon grafts has dramatically improved the results of joint repair in cases of severe trauma. Even in cases of extensive damage to the joint ligaments, orthopedic surgeons have been able to achieve 100 percent range of motion and stability using donor bone/tendon grafts.
Despite these realized advantages, there have been some difficulties encountered with utilizing bone/tendon grafts. For example, surgical procedures involving transplantation and fixation of these grafts can be tedious and lengthy. Currently, bone/tendon/bone grafts must be specifically shaped for the recipient during surgery, which can require thirty minutes to over an hour of time. Further, surgeons must establish a means of attaching the graft, which also takes up valuable surgery time.
Another difficulty associated with using bone/tendon grafts is that there is a limited supply. This can result in a patient having to choose an inferior procedure simply based on the lack of availability of tissue. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a system that addresses this and the foregoing concerns.
The subject invention concerns a novel bone tendon bone graft (BTB) that facilitates an easier and more efficient surgery for reconstructing ligaments in a joint. One aspect of the subject invention pertains to a BTB that comprises a tendon and two bone blocks positioned at opposite ends of the tendon, wherein the bone blocks are pre-shaped for uniform and consistent alignment into a recipient bone.
In a specific aspect, the subject invention pertains to a bone tendon bone graft useful in orthopedic surgery comprising one or more bone blocks, and a tendon attached to said one or more bone blocks; wherein said one or more bone blocks is cut to provide a groove sufficient to accommodate a fixation screw. Alternatively, the subject invention pertains to a bone tendon bone graft useful in orthopedic surgery comprising one or more bone blocks and a tendon attached to said one or more bone blocks, wherein said one or more bone blocks is pre-shaped into a dowel.
A further aspect of the subject invention pertains to a method of obtaining a plurality of bone tendon bone grafts comprising excising a first bone plug having attached thereto a tendon or ligament; and excising a second bone plug having attached thereto a tendon or ligament; wherein said first bone plug and said second bone plug are derived from contiguous bone stock and overlap such that excision of said first bone plug or said second bone plug forms a groove in the bone plug that is excised subsequent to the other.
In yet another aspect, the subject invention pertains to a method of conducting orthopedic surgery on a human or an animal comprising obtaining a bone tendon bone graft, said graft comprising a tendon or ligament having two ends, and one or more bone blocks attached to said tendon or ligament, wherein at least one of said one or more bone blocks has a groove suitable for accommodating a fixation screw.
An alternative aspect of the invention pertains to an implant comprising a bone block and a tendon, wherein the bone block comprises a groove for accommodating a fixation screw.
Yet a further aspect of the subject invention pertains to a BTB core cutter for harvesting BTB grafts in accordance with the principles of the subject invention.
These and other advantageous aspects of the subject invention are described in further detail below.